Game apparatus



July 13, 1937.

J. w. M CLATCHlE ET AL 2,087,221

GAME APPARATUS Filed July 2, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS JOHN W. MacCLATCH/E TlLMoN c. ALEXANDER ATTORNEY.

July 13, 1937.

J. W. M CLATCHLE ET AL.

GAME APPARATUS Filed July 2, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 p i l I I A- I p? INVENTOR5 JOHN W. MacCLATCH/E BY TILMON c. ALEXANDER- ATTORNEY.

July 13, 1937. J. W. MacCLATCHlE ET AL GAME APPARATUS Filed July 2, 1934- 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS JOHN W. Mac CLATCHIE TILMON C. ALEXANDER ATTORNEY.

July l3, 1937. J. w. MMCLATCHIE i- -r AL 2,087,221

GAME APPARATUS Filed July 2, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 v JOHN W. MacCLATCH/E TILMON C. ALEXANDER ATTORNEY.

July 13, 1937- .5. W. M CLATCHIE AL 2,087,221

GAME APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 2, 1934 INVENTORS JOHN W. Mac CLATCHIE TILMON C. ALEXANDER ATTORNEY.

Patented July 13, 1937 UNITED STATES GAME APPARATUS John W. MacClatchie, Los Angeles, and Tilmon 0. Alexander, Compton, Calif.; said Alexander assignor to said MacClatchie doing business as MacClatchie Manufacturing Company, Compton, Calif.

Application July 2, 1934, Serial No. 733,432

28 Claims.

This invention is a game apparatus for playing the game of draw poker; and has for its object to provide an apparatus containing a plurality of independent and separately movable elements representing the respective cards of a usual deck of playing cards, and which may comprise balls or the like having the respective card symbols displayed thereon, and adapted to have a number of said card-elements corresponding to the number of cards in a hand, mechanically supplied or dealt to each of a plurality of stations of the apparatus which are provided for the respective players, with the hand which is dealt to each station visible to the player at said station but concealed from the players at the other stations, and including means whereby such of the card-elements at each station as the player wishes to discard from his hand, may be mechanically removed from the station, and also including means whereby the proper number of card-elements to again fill the respective hands may then be mechanically supplied to the respective stations.

It is a further object of the invention to dump and return all of the card-elements to a common container after the play of each hand, and to thoroughly mix or shuflle the plurality of cardelements so that upon the next deal the hand for each station will be mechanically chance determined from the shuflled plurality of card-elements which correspond to a shuflied deck of cards.

It is a still further object of the invention to selectively remove from each station any desired number of the card-elements dealt thereto which the player wishes to discard, with the discarded card-elements temporarily kept separate from the plurality of card-elements from which the stations are supplied, so that the draw to refill the hands at the respective stations will be chance determined from the remainder of the originally shuffled deck without the discard being included therein.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide means for controlling the number of card-elements supplied to each station, whereby a maximum number of card-elements corresponding to a full hand, e. g. five card-elements, may be supplied to each station upon initial actuation of the control means, and any selected number of card-elements up to and including the maximum and corresponding to each players announced discard, may be supplied to the respective stations after the discard and upon secondary actuation of the control means. It is a still further object of the invention to lock the apparatus against removal of card-elements from a station during and after the secondary actuation of the control means and to also lock the control means against further actuation after its secondary actuation, with said locking means remaining operative until the entire mechanism is released at the end of the play for dumping and returning all of the card-elements of the hands to the common container, ready for dealing new hands to the respective stations.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a coin-control for the apparatus, whereby it is locked against initial dealing of hands to the respective stations until a proper coin has been inserted, and whereby dumping and returning the hands to the common container at the end of the play relocks the entire mechanism until a new coin is inserted.

Further objects of the invention will be readily understood from the following description of the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of the apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section in the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 44 of Fig. 3, showing the parts in their position at the end of play of a hand.

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the parts ready for play of a new hand.

Figs. 6, '7, and 8 are vertical sections on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1, showing successive stages of operation.

Fig. 9 is a vertical section on the line 99 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 1-0 is a horizontal section on the line lfll U of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a vertical section on the line ll-Il of Fig. 10.

Figs. 12, 13, and 14 are vertical sections on the lines i2-l2, I3l3, !4l4 respectively of Fig. 6.

Fig. 15 is a Vertical section on the line |5--I5 of Fig. 8.

The apparatus comprises a main housing I which may be mounted upon a pedestal 2 so that the players may stand around the housing; and the main housing has a plurality of stations 3 for the respective players, shown in the present instance as four in number and arranged at the respective vertical walls of a quadrilateral rectangular main housing. Each player standing in front of his station may thus observe his own hand displayed at his station, but the housing I shields the hand at each station from observation by the other players standing in front of their own stations.

As shown at Figs. 1 and 2 a hopper 4 is mounted at the center of housing I adjacent its upper end with a discharge tube 5 extending from the hopper to each of the stations 3; and an elevator 6 is adapted for vertical movement in one corner of the front of casing l, and when in its elevated position communicates with a chute 1 leading to the hopper 4 and when in its lowered position is received in a Well 8 depending from the housing I, with the base of the housing sloping downwardly toward the well as shown at 9.

A handle II] for operating the elevator projects through a vertical slot II in the front wall of housing I, at one side of the station 3 for that player who stands at the front wall of the housing and who is designated the dealer, and a coin control I 2 is preferably provided at the front wall of the housing at the opposite side of its station 3. A set of control knobs I3 is provided for each of the discharge tubes 5, with the sets of knobs preferably positioned for convenient actuation by the dealer; and in the present instance are shown as projecting from the top of housing I above the respective discharge tubes 5, where the dealer by reaching over the top of the housing has access to all of the knobs. The dealer in addition to playing his own hand at his station 3, inserts a coin at the control I2 and operates the elevator 6 at the start of play of each hand, and also shuffles the card-elements as hereinafter described, and by manipulating the knobs I3 deals a hand to each player, and subsequently deals the number of cardelements requested by each player after his discard.

The card-elements represent the cards of a usual deck of playing cards and are separate from one another and independently movable for chance determined display of any combination of a plurality of said separate elements at each of the stations 3, and for this purpose are shown as balls I5 bearing symbols I6 designating the respective cards of a deck, and adapted to be dumped into hopper 4 so as to gravitate through tubes 5 to the respective stations 3.

As an instance of this arrangement the base of hopper 4 preferably curves downwardly toward its periphery to form an annular trough I1, and the tubes 5 communicate with this trough via equidistantly circumferentially spaced discharge posts I8. Each tube 5 is of a diameter to receive and position the balls one behind another, and is of a length to hold a number of balls sufficient to furnish the initial hand for its station 3 and also furnish such number of balls as the player at the station may desire to draw after he has discarded. For this purpose each tube is of a minimum length to hold at least ten balls, so as to initially furnish a hand of five cards and also permit any desired discard up to the full hand with a corresponding number of balls subsequently supplied to refill the hand, and is of a maximum length to insure there being at least ten balls left in the hopper for reception in the last discharge tube which is filled. In practice each tube may hold just ten balls, so that when a full deck of fifty-two cards is used, each tube may be filled to capacity and still leave twelve balls in the hopper 4.

The plurality of balls comprising the deck are dumped into the hopper 4 from the chute I and gravitate to the trough I! for approximate uniform annular distribution therein, and are then circumferentially agitated so as to drop through discharge ports I8 for filling the respective tubes 5. For this purpose a vertical shaft I9 may project through the top of housing I and may be provided with a handle 20 for rotating or oscillating the shaft, and radial fingers 2I project from the shaft into the trough IT as shown at Fig. 3, for distributing the balls to the respective discharge posts I8 when the shaft is turned.

The playing units, which each comprise a station 3 and its discharge tube 5, are of similar construction so that a description of one will suffice for all.

The station 3 comprises a trough 25 extending parallel to that wall of housing I at which the station is positioned, with the trough at the inner surface of the wall and adapted to receive balls from the tube 5 and to support the balls one behind another, and to hold a number of balls corresponding to the number of cards constituting a complete hand, which in the present instance is five balls. The trough is visible to the player at that station, and for this purpose an opening 26 is formed in the wall of housing I in front of trough 25, and a frame 21 is mounted in the opening so as to support the trough and provide a glass-covered sight opening 28 through which the player at that station may see the trough, while shielding it from the vision of the other players standing in front of the other stations of the apparatus. The trough is inclined as shown at Fig. 4, so that the balls received from tube 5 tend to roll along the trough and drop from its lower end, but a pivoted gate is provided for retaining the balls in the trough.

The gate includes a back bar 29 and an end bar 30, and is pivoted to frame 21 as shown at 3|, so that when swung to the position shown at Fig. 6 the balls I5 are free to roll along the trough 25 and drop from the same, and when swung downwardly to the position shown at Fig. '7 the bar 30 holds the balls against dropping from the end of the trough but the bar 29 is in a position offering no obstruction to the balls being pushed off the back of the trough, and when swung further downwardly to the position shown at Fig. 8 the bar 30 holds the balls against dropping from the end of the trough and the bar 29 prevents the balls being pushed off the back of the trough.

When the gate is in the position shown at Fig. 7 with the initial hand of five balls supported in trough 25 and displayed at sight opening 28, the player at that station may remove any of the balls which he wishes to discard. For this purpose a plurality of plungers 32 (Fig. 6) normally spring retracted as shown at 33, are mounted in frame 21 for alinement with the respective balls which are supported in trough 25, and are adapted for selective projection by the player so that any desired ones of the displayed balls may be pushed off the back of the trough. The remaining balls, if any, then roll to the lower end of the inclined trough where they are held by bar 30, and thus provide space for reception from tube 5 of a number of balls corresponding to the number which have been discarded.

The discharge tube 5 slopes downwardly and its outlet end is curved as shown at 35 for alinement with the trough 25, so that the balls I5 will freely gravitate through the tube and discharge into the trough and roll along the same; and the number of balls discharged into trough 5 is manually controlled, in the present instance by the corresponding set of knobs I3. For this purpose a retractible abutment pin 36 may control discharge of balls from the tube into the trough, and a plurality of abutment pins 31 may be arranged for selective projection for determining the number of balls which are discharged each time the pin 36 is retracted. The pin 36 is guided as shown at 38 and is normally projected by a spring 39 so as to extend across the bore of tube 5 adjacent its outlet end for obstructing passage of balls I5 as shown at Fig. 14,

but may be retracted by a finger 40 so as to clear the bore of tube 5 and thus permit free passage of the balls. The pins 31 are adapted for projection across the bore of tube 5 to interrupt passage of balls |5 as shown by broken lines at Fig. 13, and are spaced from one another lengthwise of tube 5 and in back of pin 36, such units of space as just provide for reception of a single ball |5 between adjacent pins 31 and between pin 36 and the proximate pin 31, and in the present instance the pins 31 are five in number so as to provide five of said unit spaces. The pins 31 are normally retracted so as to clear the bore of tube 5, as shown by full lines at Fig. 13, and a selected one of said pins is adapted for operative projection at the same time that pin 36 is retracted, so that a number of balls are released for dis charge into trough 25, corresponding to the number of units of space between the pin 36 and that one of the pins 31 which has been projected. For example if the pin 31 next to pin 36 is projected when pin 36 is retracted, only the single ball which is in front of this pin 31 is discharged into trough 25, while if the pin 31 which is remote from pin 36 is projected when pin 36 is retracted, the five balls in front of this pin 31 are discharged into trough 25. In similar manner selective projection of the intermediate pins 31 causes discharge of either two, three or four balls.

The means for projecting a selected pin 31 and at the same time retracting the pin 36, may comprise a bar 4| extending lengthwise of tube 5 below the same, with finger 49 projecting upwardly from the bar and engaging an abutment 42 on the stem 36a of the pin 36. The pins 31' have U-shaped stems 31a beneath the tube 5 and terminating in slides 43 which extend through bar 4| and upwardly through guides 44 at the side of tube 5, and springs 45 on the pins 31 normally retract the respective pins, and abutments 46 on the slides 43 are adapted to engage the bar 4|. The bar 4| is normally retracted as shown at Fig. 6, by means of a spring 41 mounted on a guide pin 48 which projects upwardly from bar 4| and which is slidably received in a bracket 49 on the tube 5; and by pulling on any selected one of the slides 43, its pin 31 is operatively projected across the bore of tube 5 and its abutment 46 engages and elevates bar 4| so as to simultaneously project the finger 46 for retracting the pin 36, with the bar 4| sliding freely along the other slides 43 so that their pins 31 remain in normal inoperative retracted position. This movement of the parts is shown at Fig. 7, the slide 43 for the pin 31 which is remote from pin 36 having been actuated for discharging five balls from the tube 5 into the trough 25, to provide the initial poker hand.

Tension on the slide 43 which has been actuated is then released, so that the spring 41 returns the bar 4| to normal position, thereby retracting the pin 31 which has been operatively projected and at the same time permitting spring 39 to again operatively project the pin 36. The player then discards from his hand by selectively pushing the plungers 32, and after the discard tension is again exterted on one of the slides 43 for again elevating the bar 4| to project the corresponding pin 31 and at the same time retract the pin 36 for discharging the proper number of balls to refill the hand. This movement of the parts is shown at Fig. 8, the slide 43 for the middle pin 31 having been actuated for discharging three balls to refill a hand from which this number of balls has been selectively discarded.

Tension may be exerted on a selected slide 43 by means of cables 5| extending from the respective slides to the respective knobs l3 of that set of knobs which is provided for the corresponding discharge tube 5; and when playing poker the dealer in turn pulls that knob of the successive stations which causes five balls to be supplied to the respective stations, and after the players each discard and as they in turn call for cards, the dealer refills the hands by pulling that knob for the respective stations which supplies the number of balls requested by the respective players.

At each station the bar 4|, after having been elevated and then returned to normal position for initially dealing a hand, and subsequently elevated once and then returned to normal position for refilling the hand after the discard, is looked against further elevation until play is completed by dumping all of the balls onto the sloping base 6 of the housing preparatory to playing a new hand.

As an instance of this arrangement a shaft 52 may be journaled across each of the discharge tubes 5 and has a control lever 53 at one end. A ratchet 54 is fixed on the shaft and is adapted for engagement by a pawl 55 which is pivoted on bar 4| as shown at 56 and which is yieldably projected by a spring 51. When the bar 4| is in normal position as shown at Fig. 6, the pawl 55 engages an abutment 58 which holds the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet, but when the bar 4| is elevated so that the pawl is clear of the abutment, the pawl is swung by its spring 51' to a position engaging the ratchet as shown at Figs. 7 and 8. The ratchet has three teeth, and with the parts in the position shown at Fig. 6 elevation of bar 4| for initially dealing a hand, engages the pawl with the first tooth 59 for rocking the shaft 52 to the position shown at Fig. '7, and when the bar 4| is subsequently returned to normal position the spring 51 allows the pawl to yield so as to ride freely over the ratchet without turning the shaft. The parts are thus positioned so that when bar 4| is again elevated for refilling the hand, the pawl engages the second tooth 56a for turning the shaft 52 to the position shown at Fig. 8, where an abutment 66 of the ratchet engages a stop 6|. Return of bar 4| to normal position then causes the pawl to again ride freely over the ratchet without turning the shaft so as to aline the pawl with the third tooth 591), but since the ratchet is then looked against further turning by the engagement at Ell-6|, the bar 4| is locked against being again elevated due to the engagement of the pawl 55 with the tooth 59 Means are preferably provided for holding the ratchet against accidental reverse rotation when in each of its intermittently rotated positions, and for this purpose a spring projected dog 63 may cooperate with a series of notches 64 at the periphery of the ratchet 54, with one of said notches adapted for yieldable engagement by the dog when the ratchet is turned to each of the positions shown at Figs. 6, '7, and 8.

The gate 26-36 is swung to the respective positions shown at Figs. 6, 7, and 8, by the intermittent rotation of shaft 52. For this purpose a lever 65 is fixed on shaft 62 and is connected by a link 66 to the back bar 26 of the pivoted gate, so that at the start of play the gate will have been swung to inoperative position by the lever 65 (Fig. 6) and when the initial hand is dealt the gate is swung to position holding the balls against rolling out of the trough at its lower end but permitting them to be pushed off the back of the trough by the plungers 32 (Fig. 7) and when the discard has been made and while the hand is being refilled, the gate is swung to position locking the balls against rolling out the end of the trough on being pushed off the back of the same (Fig. 8).

At the end of play all of the remaining balls are discharged from the tubes 5 into the troughs 25 and are then dumped from the lower ends of the troughs onto the sloping base 9 for return to the elevator 6. This is accomplished by actuating the control lever at each station, so as to swing the shaft 52 from the position shown at Fig. 3 back to the position shown at Fig. 6 Where the tooth 59b is adapted to engage a stop 66. The bar it is not elevated during this operation, and the abutment 53 thereby holds the pawl 55 out of engagement with the ratchet 4 to permit such reverse rotation of the shaft As a result of this reverse rotation of the shaft 52, the lever returns the gate 29-438 to inoperative position as shown at Fig. 6, so that the balls 55 are free to roll along the trough 25 and drop off at its lower end, and the movement of lever to produce this reverse rotation of the shaft is adapted to retract the pin 36 while leaving all of the pins Ell in their normal inoperative position, so that all of the remaining balls in the tube 5 are discharged therefrom.

As an instance of this arrangement a lever 67 is pivoted above the tube 5 and is connected by a l nk so to the lever 53; and a second link connected to the lever i3? and engages a head li on the stern 36a of the pin 36. The link 68 is freely slidable through a swivel "H on the lever and has an end abutment "l2 adapted to engage the swivel. Upward swing of the lever t? is thus adapted to elevate the link 68 as shown at Fig. l, but the lever El may then be swung downwardly without disturbing the link 68, since the swivel it will slide freely along the link to provide a lost motion connection between the link and the lever 61 as shown at Fig. 5. The link terminates in an eye 53 which is freely slidable on the stem 5'80. and which is adapted to engage the head 76. Upward swing of the lever 61 is thus adapted to retract the pin 36 against the tension of its spring 3% as shown at Fig. i, without disturbing the finger 4G, and when the lever (ii is swung downwardly the pin 36 is operatively projected by its spring 39, and may then be retracted by its finger 49 with the stern 3 3a sliding freely through the eye 1'3 so as to provide a lost motion connection between the stem 36a and the link 69 as shown at Fig. '7.

t the end of play the lever 5'! is swung to its upper position as shown at Fig. 4, for retracting the pin and reversely rotating the ratchet 5t and opening the gate iii-3i for dumping the balls previously described, and the levers Ell for the plurality of stations 3 are connected for dependent operation so as to dump the balls at all of the stations. For this purpose a lever 15 is adapted to swing each of the levers Bl; and by means of bell cranks l5 and linkage it, the levers are connected for dependent operation as shown Fig. l. A link 78 is connected to one of the levers it, so that by retracting this link at the end of play all of the levers G"! are swung upwardly as shown at Fig. 4, thereby discharging all of the balls from the tubes 5 into the troughs and from thence dumping all of the balls onto base 9. By projecting the link E8 when a new hand is to be played, all of the levers 6? are swung downwardly as shown at Fig. 5, with the swivels H sliding idly along the links 68 and the eyes l3 sliding along stems 36a to permit operative projection of the pins 36 by their springs 39. During subsequent play of the hand each shaft 52 is intermittently rotated and the pins 35 and 3? are retracted and projected by pulling the knobs 13 as previously described, with the lost motion connection 'H-l2 permitting such rotation of the shaft and the lost motion connection 'lEl-'l3 permitting such movement of the pins. 1"

The coin control i2 is preferably arranged so as to necessitate the insertion of a coin before a ban may be played. For this purpose the coin control may include a usual slide "IS which may be freely retracted from housing but which is then locked against projection into the housing until a proper coin is inserted in the slide; and the link is connected to the slide '59 as shown at Figs. 4 and 5, so that by retracting the slide at the end of play the movement of link 18 causes all the balls to be dumped as previously described, thereby rendering the apparatus inoperative until a coin is inserted, whereupon the slide may be projected into the housing I for projecting the link "i8 so as to again position the parts ready for play by operating the knobs The elevator 6 is adapted to receive the balls l when they are dumped onto the base 9 at the end of play of a hand, and is adapted to then elevate the balls and dump them into chute 1 and thence into hopper preparatory to playing a new hand. For this purpose the elevator may be mounted on a guide rod Bl for vertical sliding movement controlled by the handle it]; and the elevator comprises a container open at its top and having a hinged ate 82 at its front side, with the base of the container sloping downwardly toward the gate as shown at 83. The gate held in closed position until the elevator reaches its upper limit of movement and is then automatically opened so as to bridge the space between the base 83 and the chute l to allow the balls to roll onto the chute. As an instance of this arrangement the gate 82 is hinged at its lower edge as shown at 84, and a vertical guide rod 85 is positioned in front of the elevator and is curved at its upper end as shown at so that until the elevator reaches its upper limit of movement the gate is engaged by rod 85 to hold the gate in closed position as shown by full lines at Fig. 9, but when the elevator reaches its upper limit of movement the curved end 86 of the guide rod permits the gate to swing open and rest upon chute 1 as shown by broken lines at Fig. 9. When the elevator is subsequently lowered, its gate is reclosed by its engagement with the guide rod 85.

When the elevator is in its lowered position it is received in well 8 below the level of sloping base with the balls l5 adapted to drop into the elevator from the sloping base via the open top of the elevator, but when the elevator has been moved upwardly along its guide rod 85 a gate 88 preferably shuts oif the well 8 from the sloping base 9 so to arrest the balls except when the elevator is in position to receive the same. The gate 88 is slidable on a guide rod 8% for vertical movement in the well 8 between the elevator and the wall of the well, and has a spring so tending to elevate the gate to its limit of movement as determined by 21.

Stop 9i, and has depending fingers 92 adapted to hook under the elevator. When the elevator is lowered into the well it engages fingers 92 to depress the gate 88 against the tension of its spring 99 as shown in full lines at Fig. 9, so that the gate is below the level of base 9 and the balls l5 are thus free to drop into the elevator, but when the elevator is lifted the gate 88 is elevated by its spring 90 so as to project above the base 9 as shown by broken lines at Fig. 9, thereby preventing the balls [5 from. dropping into the open elevator well.

The elevator 6 is preferably locked against elevation to its dumping position until a coin has been inserted at the coin control I2, and when a coin has been inserted and the elevator released, its elevation to dumping position is adapted to project the slide 19 into the housing I, so that the pins 36 are operatively projected as previously described for shutting off the discharge tubes 5 before the balls 15 are dumped into the chute 1 and thence into the hopper 4.

As an instance of this arrangement an arm 95 is pivotally mounted for engagement by the elevator 6 as it approaches its dumping position, for swinging the arm from the position shown in full lines to that shown by broken lines at Fig. 9; and the arm 95 is fixed on a. transverse shaft 96 which is journaled on the front wall of casing l as shown at Fig. 1, and which has a lever 91 fixed thereto and connected by a link 98 to one of the levers 75 as shown at Fig. 4. With the slide 19 locked in retracted position until a proper coin is inserted the link 96 looks the lever 91 in the position shown at Fig. 4 and thus locks the arm 95 in the position shown in full lines at Fig. 9, for arresting elevation of the elevator 6 before it reaches its dumping position, and thus prevents the balls I5 being supplied to the discharge tubes 5. After a coin has been inserted so as to release the slide 19 for free sliding projection into housing I, the elevator may be lifted to its dumping position, since its engagement with arm 95 will swing the arm to the position shown by broken lines at Fig. 9, the arm being free to swing due to the fact that the link 98 is now free for movement as a result of the slide 19 having been released. The movement of link 98 which results from the swinging of arm 95 and which is shown at Fig. 5, swings the levers 15 for depressing the levers 61 as previously described, thereby permitting springs 39 to operatively project the pins 36 so that the discharge tubes 5 are shut off. The arm 95 is so positioned that the link 98 will have completed its movement by the time the elevator 6 reaches its upper limit of movement and dumps, and therefore the pins 36 will have shut off the discharge tubes 5, ready for controlled discharge of balls by actuating the knobs l3, by the time that the balls have dumped into chute I and gravitated thence into hopper 4 and through ports 18 into the discharge tubes.

To summarize operation of the device, at the start of play the parts .are in the position shown at Figs. 1 and 4 with all of the balls l5 collected in the elevator 6 which is lowered into well 8, and by usual coin-control mechanism associated with slide 19 the latter is automatically locked against projection into casing I until a proper coin is inserted. The dealer inserts a coin for releasing the slide 19, and then raises the elevator 6 so as to dump the balls l5 into the hopper 4, thereby rocking the shaft 91 for projecting the slide 19 into casing I so that the parts assume the position shown at Figs. 5 and 6 with the pins 36 operatively projected and preventing discharge of balls from the tubes- 5 into the troughs 25. By oscillating the handle 29 the dealer thoroughly mixes the balls in hopper 4 and moves them around the trough I! so as to distribute them to the various ports 18 for filling the respective tubes 5; and the dealer then in turn pulls that knob 13 of each successive station 3 which controls discharge of five balls to the corresponding trough 25, thereby dealing a poker hand to each station. This operation swings the gates 2930 to the position shown at Fig. 7, so that the balls constituting each poker hand are held against end discharge from the trough 25 but may be selectively pushed off the back of the trough by manually projecting the corresponding plungers 32. The hand at each station is visible to the player at that station through the sight opening 28 but is concealed by casing I from the players at the other stations, and when each player has viewed his hand he pushes desired ones of the plungers 32 at his station for selectively discarding from his hand. The players then in turn announce the number of their discard and the dealer by pulling the proper knob I3 of the successive stations refills the hands so that each hand again comprises five balls. This operation swings the gates 2939 to the position shown at Fig. 8 so that the balls then constituting the hand at each station are held against end discharge from the trough 25 and are also held against being pushed off the back of the trough. To complete the play the dealer pulls out the slide 19, thereby returning the parts to the position shown at Figs. 1 and 4 and thus retracting the pins 31 and swinging the gates 2939 to open position so that all of the balls are dumped onto the base 9 from whence they gravitate to the elevator 6 which has again been lowered into the well 8; and

when slide 19 is thus retracted it is automatically locked, thereby locking the machine against further play until a new coin is inserted.

We claim:

1. In a game apparatus, a playing station, a

plurality of playing elements each having an identifying symbol, gravity means for supplying a predetermined number and chance determined combination of playing elements to the playing station, means for selectively removing playing elements from the station, and gravity means for supplying the station with a number of playing elements corresponding to the number which has been removed therefrom.

2. In a game apparatus, a playing station, a plurality of playing elements each having an identifying symbol, a container for the playing elements, means for supplying a predetermined number and chance determined combination of playing elements from the container to the play ing station, a second container, means for selectively removing playing elements from the station and discharging the same into the second container, and means for supplying the playing station from the first container with a number of playing elements corresponding to the number which has been removed from the station.

3. In a game apparatus, a playing station, a plurality of playing elements each having an identifying symbol, a container for the playing elements, means for supplying a predetermined number and chance determined combination of playing elements from the container to the playtively removing playing elements from the station and discharging the same into the second container, means for supplying the playing station from the first container with a number of playing elements. corresponding to the number which has been removed from the station, means for discharging playing elements from the; first container and from the playing station into the second container, and means for returning the playing elements from the second container to the first container.

4. In a game apparatus, a plurality of playing stations, a plurality of playing elements each having an identifying symbol, means for supplying a predetermined number and chance determined combination of playing elements to the respective stations, means for selectively removing playing elements from the respective stations, means for supplying the respective stations with a number of playing elements corresponding to the number which has been removed from the respective stations, and means accessible to a player at one of the stations for controlling the supply means for the plurality of stations.

5. In a game apparatus, a playing station, a discharge tube leading to. the station, a plurality of independent and separately movable playing elements each having an identifying symbol, means for supplying playing elements to the tube, and means for controlling discharge of playing elements from the tube to the playing station.

6. In a game apparatus, a playing station, a discharge tube leading to the station, a plurality of independent and separately movable playing elements each having an identifying symbol, means for supplying playing elements to the tube, and control means for discharging a selected number of playing elements from the tube to the playing station.

'7. In a game apparatus, a playing station, a plurality of playing elements each having an identifying symbol, means for supplying playing elements to the station, means for controlling the supply means, means for selectively removing playing elements from the station, and means for locking the controlling means after being twice actuated.

8. In a game apparatus, a playing station, aplurality of playing elements each havinganidentifying symbol, means for supplying playing elements to the station, means for controlling the supply means, means for selectively removing playing elements from the station, means for locking the controlling means after being twice actuated, means for discharging all of the playing elements and means whereby actuation of the last mentioned means releases the locking means.

9. In a game apparatus, a playing station, a plurality of playing elements each having an identifying symbol, means for supplying playing elements to the station, means for controlling the supply means, means for selectively removing playing elements from the station, a gate for the playing station, and an operating connection whereby initial actuation of the controlling means renders the gate inoperative so as to per mit playing elements being removed from the station and subsequent actuation of the controlling means operates the gate to prevent playing elements being removed from the station.

10. In a game apparatus a plurality of playing stations, a discharge tube leading to each station, a plurality of independent and separately r movable playing elements, means for supplying playing elements to the discharge tubes, means for controlling discharge of playing elements from the respective tubes to the corresponding playing stations, means for selectively removing playing elements from the respective stations, means for locking the controlling means for each tube after being twice actuated, means for discharging all of the playing elements from the plurality of discharge tubes and from the corresponding playing stations, and means whereby actuation of the last mentioned means releases the locking means for the plurality of discharge tubes.

11. In a game apparatus a plurality of playing stations, a discharge tube leading to each station, a plurality of independent and separately movable playing elements, means for supplying playing elements to the discharge tubes, means for controlling discharge of playing elements from the respective tubes to the corresponding playing stations, means for selectively removing playing elements from the respective stations, means for discharging all of the playing elements from the plurality of discharge tubes and from the corresponding playing stations, means for locking said last mentioned means in discharging position, and coin controlled means for releasing said locking means.

12. In a game apparatus, a playing station, a hoppen, a discharge tube leading from the hopper to the station, a plurality of independent and separately movable playing elements each having an identifying symbol, means for elevating the 7 playing elements into. the hopper for gravity supply to the discharge tube, means for controlling discharge of playing elements from the tube to the playing station, and means for returning playing elements from the station to the elevating means.

13. In a game apparatus, a playing station, a hopper, a discharge tube leading from the hopper to the station, a plurality of independent and separately movable playing elements each having an identifying symbol, means for elevating the playing elements into the hopper, means for mixing the playing elements in the hopper and supplying the same to the discharge tube, and means for controlling discharge of playing elements from the tube to the playing station.

14. In a game apparatus, a playing station, a plurality of playing elements each having an identifying symbol, a container for the playing elements adapted for chance determined irregular distribution of the playing elements therein, means for supplying a predetermined number and chance determined combination of playing elements from the container to the playing station, a second container, means for discharging playing elements from the station into the second container, and means for returning playing elements from the second container to the first container.

15. In a game apparatus, a playing station, a plurality of playing elements each having an identifying symbol, a container for the playing elements adapted for chance determined irregular distribution of the playing elements therein, means for supplying a predetermined number and chance determined combination of playing elements from the container to the playing station, a second container, means for selectively removing playing elements from the station and discharging the same into the second container, and means for supplying the playing station from the first container with a number of playing ele- .15

ments corresponding to the number which has been removed from the station.

16. In a game apparatus, a playing station, a plurality of playing elements each having an identifying symbol, a container for the playing elements adapted for chance determined irregular distribution of the playing elements therein, means for supplying a predetermined number and chance determined combination of playing elements from the container to the playing station, a second container, means for selectively removing playing elements from the station and discharging the same into the second container, means for supplying the playing station from the first container with a number of playing elements corresponding to the number which has been removed from the station, means for discharging playing elements from the first container and from the playing station into the second container, and means for returning playing elements from the second container to the first container.

17. In a game apparatus, a playing station, a plurality of playing elements each having an identifying symbol, a container for the playing elements adapted for chance determined irregular distribution of the playing elements therein, means for supplying a predetermined number and chance determined combination of playing elements from the container to the playing station, a second container, means for selectively removing playing elements from the station and discharging the same into the second container, means for supplying the playing station from the first container with a number of playing elements corresponding to the number which has been removed from the station, means for discharging playing elements from the playing station into the second container, and means for returning playing elements from the second container to the first container.

18. In a game apparatus, a playing station, a plurality of playing elements each having an identifying symbol, means for supplying playing elements to the station, means for discharging playing elements from the station, means for locking said last mentioned means in discharging position, and coin controlled means for releasing said locking means.

19. In a game apparatus, a playing station, a plurality of playing elements each having an identifying symbol, a container for the playing elements adapted for chance determined irregular distribution of the playing elements therein, means for elevating the playing elements into the container for gravity supply therefrom to the playing station, and means for returning playing elements from the playing station to the elevating means.

20. In a game apparatus, a playing station, a plurality of playing elements each having an identifying symbol, a container for the playing elements adapted for chance determined irregular distribution of the playing elements therein, and means for elevating the playing elements into the container for gravity supply therefrom to the playing station.

21. In a game apparatus, a playing station, a plurality of playing elements each having an identifying symbol, gravity means for supplying playing elements to the station, and means for selectively removing playing elements from the station.

22. In a game apparatus, a playing station,

a plurality of playing elements each having an identifying symbol, gravity means for supplying playing elements to the station, and means for selectively displacing playing elements with relation to the station so as to to gravitate therefrom.

23. In a game apparatus, a playing station, a plurality of playing elements each having an identifying symbol, gravity means for supplying playing elements to the station, and control means associated with said gravity means and including means whereby actuation of the control permits only a predetermined number of playing elements being supplied to the station 24. In a game apparatus, a plurality of playing stations, a plurality of playing elements each having an identifying symbol, a plurality of means for supplying playing elements to the respective stations, and means associated with each of said plurality of supply means for controlling the number of playing elements supplied thereby, the control means for the respective supply means being independently operable but all being accessible for actuation by a player at one of the stations.

25. In a game apparatus, a playing station, a plurality of playing elements each having an identifying symbol, and a container for the playing elements having an outlet arranged for successive unit passage of playing elements through said outlet to the playing station, the container being arranged to receive and contain the entire plurality of playing elements at one time, with the entire plurality of elements spread out around the outlet in chance determined relationship whereby the last or any preceding one of the playing elements to enter the container may first aline with the outlet for passage therethrough.

26. In a game apparatus, a playing station, a plurality of playing elements each having an identifying symbol, a container for the playing elements having an outlet arranged for successive unit passage of playing elements through said outlet to the playing station, and means for dumping the entire plurality of playing elements into the container at one time and in chance determined relationship, the container being adapted to contain the entire plurality of playing elements at one time, with the entire plurality of playing elements spread out around the outlet in chance determined relationship whereby any one of said playing elements may first aline with the outlet for passage therethrough.

2'7. In a game apparatus, a playing station, a plurality of playing elements each having an identifying symbol, a container for the playing elements, gravity means for supplying playing elements from the container to the station, a second container, gravity means for discharging playing elements from the station into the second container, and means for returning playing elements from the second container to the first container.

28. In a game apparatus, a plurality of playing stations, a plurality of playing elements, means for supplying playing elements to the respective stations, and means whereby the playing elements at each station are visible to a player at that station but are concealed from the players at all other stations,said last mentioned means including means preventing access to the playing elements such as would permit their removal from the game apparatus.

JOHN W. MACCLATCHIE. TILMON C. ALEXANDER. 

